Castle Drabbles: But I Would Really Enjoy It
by brodie-wan
Summary: Chapter 23 is here! Only three this week! Come on in!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is called testing the waters of the Castle fandom. I discovered a drabble challenge over at LiveJournal called 'The Castle 100'. The prompt I decided to take a swing at is below. **

**Married Castle and Beckett**

_**But, I would really enjoy it.**_

**Fluffy holiday goodness-(not sure I addressed this).**

1.

"I'm not gonna do it," said Rick Castle, raising a frying pan high above his head.

"But, I would really enjoy it," the former Kate Beckett replied.

"But it's Monday," Castle rebutted. "We eat out on Monday nights."

"That was your old life, Castle," Kate said smirking.

"Please, call me Rick," Castle deadpanned. "We are married after all."

"Newly married," she replied, narrowing her eyes. "There's still time for an annulment. Give me the pan."

Handing her the pan, he said: "I don't like eggs."

"You're a bad liar. Now, go get Alexis. Breakfast will be ready in a flash."

2.

When Rick entered the kitchen, he was greeted by a most pleasant sight. His wife was bent over placing a sheet of cookies into the oven. She did not appear to have noticed his entrance which was just fine because he was loving the view of her rear end in the dark blue jeans.

He leaned against the island and rested his chin on an elbow.

"Hi Honey."

In shock, she shot up straight, slamming the oven door. "Dammit, Castle!" she exclaimed, pink faced.

"Do you mind bending over again?" He asked, innocently.

"No!"

"But, I would really enjoy it."

**Please leave a review. Let me know if I'm on the right track. I'm even open to what I might do better. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Author note: Ok, so these aren't married drabbles and they aren't limited to 100 words. This IS, however, my general Castle drabble thread. I hope you will continue to check it out. Entries may vary from 100 words to more depending on inspiration. Prompts are welcome. If you have the inclination, drop me a line. Enjoy!**

**How much longer**

"How much longer are you going to beat that dead horse?" Kate said, frustrated by her husband's persistence.

"Until I get an answer," Rick replied, not willing to back down. "It's a serious matter!"

"Serious to you," she shot back. "We non celebrities probably wouldn't give it much thought."

Castle looked at her as if she had just sprouted a snout and wings. "Now that is bold faced lie. You may be a public servant, but you're also hotter than the next…hotter than anyone I know. I know it matters to you too."

Kate sighed heavily. "You're hair looks great, Castle. Satisfied?"

"Immensely."

**It seemed like only yesterday...**

"It seemed like only yesterday that Alexis was only knee high to a grasshopper," Castle said, lost in a memory."

"Really, Castle?" Beckett said. "A grasshopper? Who talks like that anymore…other than my grandfather?"

"No need to rain on my parade," Castle replied. "I was just thinking that Alexis has grown."

"That's what they do."

"Who? Grasshoppers?"

Beckett waived a dismissive hand in his face and got up from her desk.

"What did I say?"

Castle exited is chair and followed her toward the break room.

"What did I say?" he asked to her back as she refilled her coffee cup.

She whirled on him and said: ""Castle, it's about mountains and mole hills. Move on."

**Getting to know you…**

It was probably the second or third case we worked on together. We were still figuring each other; testing boundaries and doing the dance of making the best of an awkward situation. It was awkward for her anyway. I was having the time of my life. Doing research has always been the most fun part of writing for me. But when I met Beckett, research took on a whole new meaning. I was compelled to know her for more than just a template for a character in a book. I was captivated. She was a present that I was so excited to unwrap and yet, the present was behind bulletproof glass under lock and key.

**Maybe it's because s/he was famous...**

"Okay," Castle huffed. "I'm here. What's the emergency?"

"Beckett's being stalked," Ryan said, flatly.

"Did you know the elevator's out of service?" Castle breathed, bending at the waist to catch his breath."

"Yeah. Beckett is being stalked," Esposito repeated Ryans's declaration.

"What? Really?" Castle asked finally standing up straight and taking a deep breath. "What the M.O.?"

"Nikki Heat," Esposito intoned. "The perp has tapped into her email and sending suggestive messages. He's also discovered her address and has left some…suggestive material under her door."

"Not to mention the tagging of her car," Ryan added.

"Yeah, being Nikki Heat out her in the spotlight. This is just the dark side of being a public figure."

"But she's not a public figure," Castle tried.

"I'm afraid you mad her one, Chief," Esposito said.

**"It doesn't get much better than this..."**

Rick never expected her say yes. In his heart, he hoped she would, but he never figured her for an Opera lover. He certainly didn't like the opera, but when you're friends with the Mayor and get a special invitation, you go. If he was going to be miserable, he wanted her there with him. She was a palpable distraction; equally sexy in a blue jeans and a leather jacket and a red evening dress with high heels.

It turn out Beckett wasn't an opera fan. When he later asked her why she decided to go, she answered: "I didn't have anything better to do." It was music to his ears.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes: Thank you all for the wonder interest and reviews you have left. I'm glad you are enjoying this little diversion of mine. Here is another set of drabbles with a sprinkling of Christmas and married Castle-Beckett. **

**Tinsel **

"You know I hate tinsel," Beckett droned at the sight of the silver stuff adorning her Christmas tree.

"I am aware of that fact. Yes," replied her husband.

"Then why is it all over my tree?"

"As I do every year, I had to make a choice," he said.

"What choice?" she asked, tearing her eyes from the tinsel train wreck.

"My mother loves the stuff," he said innocently.

'Your mother no longer lives here," she said, stating the obvious.

Oh, I know."

"So this year you chose her over me?" she said with an exaggerated pout.

"It was a hard decision, let me tell you," he explained earnestly.

**Singing**

"Come on, Daddy," Alexis pleaded. "Please!"

"I don't sing, Honey," Castle replied. "Especially Christmas carols."

"Likely story. You sing in the shower all the time. And, what about 'Guitar Hero' and 'Rock Band'?"

"That's different," he explained. "Those things help me think. They're crucial to my creative process."

"Please, Dad," she retorted. "I'm asking you as your only daughter. A daughter who is growing quickly and soon may not even want her Dad to go caroling with her."

Castle's eyes narrowed, confused. "How does this help your case?"

Come on, Dad. Just do it. It's for a cause. You could even wear your space cowboy costume. In a pinch, it might be considered Victorian."

Um-hmmm," he murmured, making a show of thinking it over. He could never refuse her anything.

"Okay," he sighed. "Where and when?"

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

**Heart**

"You are such a cliché," Castle said as he handed her a Cherry Cordial from the box.

"Ouch," Beckett replied, taking the chocolate confection and popping it into her mouth.

"It's not a bad thing," he replied. "I love that you are a hard nosed detective with a soft spot for chocolate."

"Specialty chocolate," she corrected.

"I noticed you popped that thing right in your mouth. No dainty nibbling. So in character."

"Shut up."

"Why? You're perfect. And I now know the way to your heart."

He smiled mischievously.

She scowled. "Don't be so sure. Chocolate is only one lock in my security system. I want to make sure I keep out playboys like you."

"Ouch."

**Cute**

The stakeout had lasted long into the night and the conversation had worn so thin you could see through. The car was cold; a direct result of the weather outside and the fact that one doesn't leave the car running on a stakeout. He looked at her. She watched the brownstone home across the street.

"A little bird told me a secret," she said cryptically and completely out of the blue.

"Really," he replied. "About what? Or should I say Who?"

"A certain British super spy…"

Castle sat up straight and despite himself, went rigid. "Uh-huh?"

"So you gave up your dream?" she asked as if only vaguely interested.

Relaxing, he reached out and tapped her on the shoulder. She turned to look at him.

"I gave up a dream, Beckett," he replied earnestly. "I'm living another one right now."

**Open fire **

Rick Castle knelt before the old fire place stuffing newspaper under the grate. It had been some time since he had built a fire; some time since he had gotten his hands dirty. What better occasion than the first family Christmas with his new wife. After stuffing paper, he quickly lay the kindling at crossbars to help get things started. He stood, reaching for the box of matches on the mantle. He opened it and squatted to light the paper.

"Didn't your mother tell you that little boys shouldn't play with matches?" Beckett said approaching is side.

"She's in the kitchen," Castle retorted, letting her take the box from his hand. "You could ask her."

"I did. She said you were incorrigible."

Kate struck a match and leaned in to light the paper. As the fire spread and the crackling began, she leaned into her husband and kissed him. Light and warmth danced on their faces as their lips met.

Breaking the kiss to catch his breath, he said: "The same could be said of you, Mrs. Castle."


	4. Chapter 4

**Castle Drabbles**

**Author Note: Hello and welcome back to Castle drabbles. I haven't been here in a while, but the season 2 finale has sparked the Castle love once again. I'm going to try post here weekly for, at least the next five weeks, as another site his hosting a drabble challenge. The first four fics in this set act as companion pieces to my ongoing fic 'Parting Thoughts' while the final one is a completely self indulgent memorial to four of my favorite shows not returning next fall. Enjoy.**

**Challenge Set One** (May 17, 2010)

**1. Doctor**

Dr. Lanie Parish watched as Kate Beckett turned her back on the party. Arching her eye brows in resignation, she was the first to tear her eyes away from the devastated detective.

"Didn't see that coming," she said to no one in particular.

"Nope," Esposito agreed.

"I was hoping for a Hollywood ending," Ryan said, sympathetically. "That was defi-"

"I should go talk to her," Lanie said, nodding her head to affirm her words.

"Wait," Esposito countered. "Let me. I think I had something to do with it."

"I'll say," Ryan said, giving him a knowing look.

"Be my guest," Lanie deferred. "I'll get to her eventually."

**2. Companion**

Lanie met Kate at her car and immediately knew she chose the wrong moment to check on her friend. Kate's eyes welled with tears and her lips quivered almost imperceptibly.

Instead of offering a weak platitude, Lane said: "Damn, Kate. I'm so sorry."

Kate swallowed her emotions as she wiped a finger across her right eye.

"For what?" Kate replied, with a perplexed expression.

"For what?" Lanie repeated, mildly exasperated. "All of it! Demming, Castle blowing town with another woman, and getting in your face right now when you're about to lose it."

"Don't be silly," Kate replied softly, switching gears to comfort her friend. "You had nothing to do with it."

Lanie scrunched her eye brown together in confusion. "I know that! But it sure as hell should have never happened."

"Which part?" Kate asked with genuine interest.

"Come on, Honey," Lanie said, taking hold of Kate's hand. "Let me take you out tonight."

The taller woman resisted, leaning back against her car.

"Not tonight, Lanie." Kate protested. "I wouldn't be any fun."

Lanie smiled sadly. "Fun has nothing to do with it."

**3. Time**

Tom Demming didn't know what hit him. One minute he and Beckett were serious about each other, the next she giving him the "it's not you, it's me" speech. It didn't make any sense. There was no warning and no plausible explanation. It had to be Castle. He must have said something or done something to make her stop seeing him. But what? Beckett is not easily manipulated and even harder to turn once her mind was made up. Even though Castle had known her longer, he didn't think the writer would have this kind of power over her.

Maybe he didn't. Or maybe he did. But not in the way he thought. Maybe she…

**4. Space**

When Castle saw Kate kissing Demming, his heart fell through the floor. All the flirtatious bickering and suggestive banter felt like wasted time. He always thought she would be there; that he would wear down her defenses. He felt his natural charm would ultimately woo her. Now, given that she had slipped away, that he had perhaps driven her away, he had to get out of dodge. His trip to the Hamptons would be a perfect getaway. He needed to think about this. He needed to examine what had gone wrong. Obviously, he had gone wrong. He had not taken her seriously enough.

**5. Dimensions**

Returning from a case with ties in Sydney, Australia, Castle, Beckett, Ryan, and Esposito board Oceanic Flight 815 to New York. When the plane crashed on a not so deserted island, our heroes face monsters, mad scientists, and an existential nightmare.

In which retired counter terrorism agent Kate Beckett finally finds love in the arms of playful, caring, brilliant writer, only to have him die in her arms, shot dead by Russian conspirators.

In which Rick Castle and Kate Beckett are relegated to only half an hour, as Law, and Jack McCoy and Claire Kincaid take their cases to court as Order. Jack really doesn't appreciate Rick's clownish antics and Kate finds Claire a pushover.

In which the whole world blacks out for 2:17 and sees the future. When Castle and Beckett wake up, neither wants to discuss the candles, the bath, and the clothes discarded on the floor.


	5. Chapter 5

**Castle Drabbles 2**

**Author Note: I'm not sure where I first read about Lanie/Esposito, but I'm on board. I hope I do it just for the purists. Please enjoy Chapter 2 of Castle Drabbles. **

**Challenge Set Two** (May 24, 2010)

**6. Island**

Javier Esposito watched a Beckett's face fell and tears welled in her eyes. This was the reason he had been very careful about relationships. His heart had been broken once. He vowed it would never happen again. Dating was ok as he never had to give too much. He was always in control of where things were going.

He looked at Lanie. There was a storm on her face; a mixture of sympathy, anger, and frustration. Damn, but that woman looked hot in mother bear mode. Tearing his eyes away from her, he saw that Beckett was gone. He had better go talk to her.

He took a step toward the door, but something caught his arm.

"Let her go, Javier," Lanie said, firmly. Why did her voice sound more like a song than a command?

**7. Survival**

When Beckett had gathered her coat, she left the building in a hurry. She didn't want to face the crowd. She wanted to forget. But what did Kate Beckett do to forget? She didn't drink or abuse drugs. She didn't gamble; at least at casinos. She was a model citizen.

_Don't get cocky, Kate._

_How could I? I'm right in the middle of an emotional roller coaster that seems destined to derail._

_Maybe a drink would steady your nerves._

_Or speed me toward a crash. _

_What does Kate Beckett do to forget? _

_What did you do to forget your mother? _

_Nothing! I haven't forgotten her. Ever._

_Then don't forget Castle either. _

_He's not dead._

_He might as well be. He wants _YOU_. _

_Don't get cocky, Kate? _

_You appear to want him too. _

_I do. _

_Then forget the forgetting. Do something._

**8. Lost**

"You want me to what?" Esposito said, looking around the room for help.

"Take me to dinner and take me home," Lanie repeated. "Something wrong with your ears?"

"What about your car?" he said, trying to deflect the obvious advance.

"I took the bus today," she said through an evil grin. "On purpose."

"What about Ryan?"

"What about him? He has a car...and somewhere to be."

"Are you saying I got nowhere to be?" Esposito replied, raising his arm in incredulity.

Lanie smiled sweetly, then dropped instantly into a seriously straight face. "Nowhere more important. Let me tell you."

Esposito eyed her intensely, breaking into a smile of his own. "I'll get my coat."

**9. Other**

Nikki Heat was a hit. The first novel almost met the height of sales on his most popular Derrick Storm book. But even if Nikki stay around a while, her time will come. He hoped that even when it came time to kill Nikki that her inspiration would be a more permanent part of his life. That said, what would he do next? A writers mind is always working, whether on the current project or some future fantasy. It's always working. Maybe he'll try a science fiction story. Something about cowboys in space who crash land on a desert island. It a sounds a little like Jules Verne. He likes Jules Verne.

**10. Flashback**

There was a time in her life before Rick Castle; a time when her existence was that of a haunted woman followed around by a rain cloud. She still lived…to a certain extent. But she never felt truly alive until she met him. He was not psychotherapist or needy man wanting a mother figure. He walked to a different drum. He didn't focus on her issue, thought he wanted to know what they were. He didn't try too hard. Well, yes he did, but his persistence won out. He was able to remove the cloud and help her remember how to live.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author note: I was a little surprised by the lack of response to Chapter 5, but such is the ebb and flow of reviews. This week and future weeks will jump around in time; mostly the future. **

**Challenge Set Three (May 31, 2010)**

**11. Far**

Richard Castle came to and abrupt stop as he entered the squad room; bent over and heaved long very loud breaths.

"Perl…mutter said I was…too late…" Castle wheezed. "Said I…would be…as dead as the…vic when I finally got here."

Kate Beckett frowned, shooting him a disappointed glare.

"What happened, Castle?" she asked, savoring his near hyperventilation.

"I wasn't exactly in…the neighborhood," he replied, straightening.

"Which neighborhood were you in?" she said.

"Central Park, if you must know," he said, bringing his panting under control.

"It's not that far. If you're part of this team, we have to be a priority."

**12. Prisoners **

Kevin Ryan left the precinct feeling sorry for Beckett, but thankful for Jenny. He had been out there too long. He was thankful that the drama of finding that special someone was over for him.

He, like Espo and the Captain, saw what Castle and Beckett meant to each other. Even if they didn't. They seemed prisoners of their own egos. He didn't think it negatively. Beckett was too real, almost depressive as her regular state. Castle, however competent, was always clowning. He wondered what would sober him. Each had moments in the other's world, but not enough to blend.

**13. Peacekeepers**

The storm on her dad's face when he entered the loft was enough to let Alexis know something was truly wrong. This was no minor annoyance or obstacle that needed a creative solution. He looked defeated and angry. It was a look she rarely saw, but one she couldn't ignore. He reserved the knitted brow, hard eyes, and straight mouth and purposeful walk for none other than troublesome women. Sometimes for ex-wives, sometimes for his mother, sometimes for bad ending to perceived good things, and finally for her mother as well. This could only be about one person: Kate Beckett.

**14. Uncharted**

When Castle was contacted by the president of his unofficial fan club, he wasn't sure how to respond to the man's invitation that he appear at their quarterly meeting. He had read their publication and had followed their website to see what fans were thinking; those who did not hand write personal letters. It seemed to be a tight and professional ship. He decided by the end of the call that he would do it…for members only. It was something new, something relatively unpredictable; definitely something unexpected by the mighty marketing machine. Part of the fun was making Gina mad.

**15. Scape**

It wasn't the first time Castle and Beckett had stayed at the precinct all night. In fact, it was the second morning in a row that the two had share an espresso and watched the sun rise.

"This one has me stumped, Castle," Kate said, quietly, as if sharing a secret.

"Me too," he said, sharing her frustration.

Before she knew what she was doing, her head rested on his shoulder. She was momentarily shocked that she did it, but not shocked enough to move. It felt nice. It felt right.

He touched her face, lightly, tracing her jaw line.


	7. Chapter 7

**Castle Drabbles**

**Author Note: This set jumps around but I think you'll enjoy them. Thanks for reading! And please don't forget to drop a review to let me know what you think.**

**Challenge Set Four:**

**16. Smart**

Javier Esposito watched as Castle and Beckett entered the squad room together. It had been ten days since the two had left the office in separate cars and in different directions. He released a small smile, not being one who grins, and put his elbow into his partner's side.

Ryan looked up, mildly irritated.

Esposito nodded at the new couple.

"Looks like she was able to reel him in," Ryan said.

"Or the other way around," Esposito countered.

"Either way, it was a smart choice," Ryan added.

"Seemed liked common sense to me; a foregone conclusion."

"Like I said: Smart."

**17. 99**

On the fifth day at the Hampton residence, the idea struck him to order 100 roses and place the bouquets around the kitchen to surprise her when she came down to breakfast. It would be a grand gesture of his willingness to romance her. He pictured the roses. He pictured her expression. With a long sigh of acknowledgement, he decided that 99 less would be more prudent. He would hold the single rose behind his back and present it to her as she descended the stairs. He hoped the reality would be as magical as the picture in his head.

**18. Chief**

"Don't make me call the Chief."

"I thought it was the Mayor that got you this gig."

"It was. But I don't want to bother the Mayor when the Chief already knows his wishes."

"How thoughtful."

"I thought so."

"So are you going to call him?"

"Only if you make me."

"I'm not changing my mind."

"Don't force my hand, Beckett. I don't like to bother the Chief either."

"You're making me tired, Castle. Do or don't."

"All we're talking about is a silhouette. No one will think it's you."

"That's right. Because no one will ever see the thing."

**19. Agents**

While Beckett completed the paperwork on their latest case, Castle's mind wandered. He had only been working with her for a few days and she came off like a Dark Lady of the Sith. There was her dark past, her dour mood, and shadowy father figure whom she did not like to talk about. Not mention her two minions who did her bidding in lock step. Okay, that was harsh. Ryan and Esposito were cool. They, with Lanie, balanced the serious minded Lady Vader. He studied her and wondered if she could choke a man just by looking at him.

**20. Shoe**

It seemed like an eternity since Castle sat in the chair next to Beckett's desk. It was like coming home. He was with the woman he loved, at her side, fighting crime. His hand rested on the arm of the chair while hers was only inches away, at the edge of the desk. He surveyed the room to make sure no one was looking and placed his hand on hers.

When Ryan appeared in the aisle, out of thin air, Castle removed his hand and bent to tie his shoe with breakneck speed.

"We're not fooling anybody, Castle," Beckett said.


	8. Chapter 8

**Challenge Set Five** (June 14, 2010)

**21. Super**

Alexis had asked him to be nice. But she really underestimated his desire to scare the hell out of one of her suitors. He almost wished she would bring home a guy she really didn't like so he could put the screws to the kid.

The young man stood confidently by the door. He remembered his name being Tad or Chad or something. Before he could start the grilling, the kid spoke up.

"I'm a big fan, Sir," he said. "Derek Storm is cool. Too bad you killed him."

So the boy had taste. He get's a pass. This time.

**22. Bat**

As the credits rolled on _Batman Begins_, Rick turned to Kate and asked: "Awesome, right?"

"Right," she agreed picking another piece of popcorn from the bowl on her lap and popping it into her mouth. "But _The Dark Knight_ is better."

"A better film technically, perhaps," Rick rebutted. "But kind of depressing don't you think?"

"Bruce isn't a happy guy, Castle," she said. "He doesn't have much to live for other than a transferred revenge."

"But he's doing good, you know, fighting crime," Rick declared.

"Vigilantism is a nice fantasy, but I'd have Batman in cuffs at my first opportunity."

**23. Wonder**

It had been three hours since Castle was back on the job and his two cohorts, Ryan and Esposito, were grilling him for details about Beckett and the Hamptons. Ryan is a hopeless romantic and Esposito is a big brother concerned for his 'sibling'.

"I don't kiss and tell, Boys," Castle said magnanimously.

"So there was kissing?" Esposito said, turning to Ryan. "We didn't know that before."

Ryan turned back to Castle. "What else?"

"Come on, Guys," Castle said, fingering his coffee cup nervously. "She'd kill me."

Esposito shot him a cold stare. "You should be more worried about us."

**24. Hawk**

Captain Montgomery paced before a seated Beckett like a father deciding how to break bad news. He was trying to figure out how to lessen the blow.

"I'm happy for you Kate," he began, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Castle's a good man. We're happy he's back. But-"

"-Captain, wait," Beckett interrupted. "Let me spare you 'the talk'. Yes Castle and I are seeing each other and yes he will accompany us in some field interviews, but he will not by any means take part in any risky operations. We've already talked about it."

"Fine, but I'll be watching."

**25. Lantern**

"Camping? Seriously?" Kate said, chuckling. "I'm a city girl, Castle."

"We talked about this, Kate," Rick reminded her. "Night three: camping under the stars. It's not like we're trekking into the woods to commune with nature. I'm putting up a tent in the front yard. Hangin' a lantern."

"I don't like to be cold, Castle," she said. "Sleeping outside equals cold."

Rick arched his eyebrows repeatedly and removed a phantom cigar from his mouth.

"I promise you, Young Lady, you won't be cold tonight," he said in a truly bad Groucho Marx impression.

Kate stared at him blankly. "Not helping."


	9. Chapter 9

**Author Note: I'm not really happy with this week. That's why it was delayed. I feel my Castle mojo fading. Maybe. Maybe not. What do you think?**

**Week 7**

**31. breakfast **

It was the fourth ring which jolted Castle wakefulness. In fact, he was jolted so forcefully that he slipped from his office chair to the floor, knocking his head against a leg of this desk. The phone still rang. He reached for it in a daze.

"Got a hot one, Castle," Ryan said. "Or a cold one depending on you point of view."

"Very funny," Rick replied while rubbing his aching head. "Where are you?"

Castle took the address and rushed into the kitchen. Pulling open the fridge door, he grabbed a package of Cherry Poptarts and exited the loft.

**32. lunch**

"You call this lunch?" Castle complained, holding a hot dog and greasy French fries from a corner vendor.

"No," Beckett retorted. "I call it a stakeout. Make do."

"Even so, there are better street vendors than this," he replied, scrunching his nose at the foul smelling food.

She shot him an annoyed glare and returned to her binoculars, which were trained on the condo a block down the street.

Carefully placing the food she had purchased on the seat between, Castle exited the vehicle. Leaning into the rolled down window, he said: "I can't work like this. Be right back."

**33. dinner **

Normally, Beckett would not have been home at the dinner hour. But, she knocked off early after closing a particularly perplexing case. Or so she thought. As she sat down to eat a freshly made chicken Caesar salad, voices rose in the apartment next door. At first, she tried to ignore the argument, but it soon became impossible. Crashing dishes, falling furniture, and raised voices turned to screams, caused her to grab her gun and approach her neighbor's door. Her knock on door coincided with the unmistakable sound of a gunshot.

She kicked open the door, dropping into a crouch.

**34. food **

"When I agreed to a late dinner, I didn't mean fine dining," Beckett complained, folding her arms. "I'm nowhere near dressed for this kind of place."

"First of all," Castle replied. "It's 1:24am and the crowds of beautiful people you're worried about are out dancing. Not eating. Secondly, if you're that self conscious, just rip your shirt or pants. It's the height of fashion these days.

Beckett rolled her eyes, unconvinced.

"Besides, you're smokin' hot in your work clothes."

"That's wildly inappropriate."

"Since when?" he said. "Your attractiveness is empirical."

"And, thirdly?" she dared.

"Thirdly, you're being ridiculous. Let's eat."

**35. drink **

It was a sunny morning and Castle was in a good mood. He had kissed Alexis and sent her off to school before make his daily pilgrimage to the coffee shop to pick up beverages for himself and Beckett. As he trotted up the outer stairs of the precinct, his foot caught the edge of a step and he lurched forward, spilling coffee, bruising his knees and ego alike.

Gathering the crumpled carrier and empty cups, Castle dutifully threw them away before returning for their replacements. Beckett would later give him a perplexed looked when he proffered her morning espresso.


	10. Chapter 10

**Challenge Set Seven:**

**31. Iron**

Kate Beckett positioned herself above the ball, some 120 feet from the tee. She had pulled a nine iron from her bag hoping that she wouldn't fall too short of the mark. Breaking her concentration only momentarily, she flicked her eyes to Castle who was leaning, arms folded, against their cart. He exuded calm cool confidence. She refocused, pulled back, and swung. The ball arced high and fell hard to the green, rolling within 5 feet of the flag.

"HA!" she exclaimed, sheathing her club like sword ala Chi Chi Rodriguez. "Fifty bucks, Castle. Call me a hacker again. Please."

**32. Challenge**

Beckett was not getting much sleep. And, by extension, neither was Castle. The case they were working on was familiar: A murdered wife and mother, a grieving husband, and preteen daughter abandoned to herself. He worried that she was taking it to heart; that despite her sometimes clinical detachment, these kinds of cases took her to a dark place. She became more driven. More closed off. More irritable. He didn't like seeing her this way. She had a tunnel vision which excluded most exterior input. It was a delicate line to walk. He wanted to be supportive without upsetting her.

**33. Stadium**

It was her first birthday after she and Castle had started seeing each other. She feared what the excitable writer would do. Would he throw an extravagant party? Not if he knew what was go for him. When the day arrived, she needn't have worried. He picked her up and delivered her to Yankee Stadium. Pulling two tickets from his jacket he offered her one.

"I believe it's called a nine inning lunch," he said, way too pleased with himself.

She kissed him lightly on the lips and said: "You did good, Castle. Now stop grinning. Security might get suspicious."

**34. Chairman**

"Who's the first person that comes to mind when I say the word 'cool'? Castle asked as the two shared lunch at the beach house.

"No question: The Fonz," Beckett replied.

Castle sat back, nodding his agreement. "A good answer. Maybe even definitive. But you forgot another possible contender."

"I doubt I forgot," she replied with a wry smile. "Who?"

"Sinatra."

She looked thoughtful for a moment. "No. Before my time, Castle."

"That doesn't make it any less true," he said, knitting his brow in consternation.

"I could have said George Clooney."

"No one else could have remade _Ocean's Eleven_."

**35. Chef**

Richard Castle was a man who liked to cook. But not all the time. Not on deadline. When the decision was made to take Gina to the Hamptons, Castle made sure that he retained a chef for the summer. He knew summer was a time for grilling, but also sandwiches and salads and such. For some inexplicable reason he was craving Hawaiian food. On a whim, he called the service for chefs and ordered one for the trip.

Apparently, Gina had also made plans for a chef. The first night, Castle and Gina enjoyed their own version of Top Chef.


	11. Chapter 11

**Author Note: I'm sorry it's been a while on these, but I'm back. Don't worry about 'In the Bubble', chapter two is well under way. I hope you enjoy this quirky set. My brain went in strange direction. **

**And, as always, if you like what you read, please leave a review. They help me recharge!**

**Castle Drabbles **

**Challenge Set Eight:**

**36. Ducks**

"Got more bodies," Esposito called from a few yards away.

Beckett looked up from the corpse in front of her. Ryan and Esposito were standing near a cluster of shrubs.

"More than one?" she asked.

"Yeah," Ryan confirmed. "You won't believe it."

Beckoning for Castle to follow, she stood and joined the boys by the bushes. She stood perplexed by the scene.

"Dead ducks?" Castle said, chuckling.

"Like I said-"

"Bag 'em and tag 'em," Beckett ordered.

All three men swiveled their heads in her direction.

"Seriously," Esposito questioned.

Beckett smirked. "You never know where there might be a connection."

**37. Money**

After the ducks had been placed in their evidence bags, the team headed head back their cars to talk turkey. Beckett lingered with Lanie.

Esposito leaned against the car as like a street racer. "What's the odds the water fowl is connected to the dead guy?"

Ryan looked into the air, pretending to make calculations, then shot a knowing glance at his partner. "Hell if I know. But, I'll put five on 'related'. Castle?"

"It's too weird not to be connected," Castle replied. "I'm not taking that bet."

"Yeah," Esposito agreed. "It's a sucker bet."

"We'll see about that."

**38. Uncle**

"Come on, Castle. The Uncle is waiting," Beckett said, draining the last of her lukewarm coffee.

"Why do we like him, again?" Castle said, feigning ignorance. "I'm still not sure it's him. There's no duck connection."

"I'll give you that that dead ducks were a fascinating quandary, but the evidence doesn't lie."

Castle looked at her askance. "Of all people, Detective Beckett, I would not expect to hear such finality in a statement like that. Don't forget, evidence can be made to mislead us."

Beckett let out a long sigh. "That's why I keep you around, Castle. To remind me."

**39. Gizmo**

Castle mustered the hardest stare he could manage and said: "Tell us about the ducks."

"Ducks?" replied the man with curly brown hair.

"Yes, Mr. Desmond," Castle added, seriously. "The ducks. Forensic science has these amazing gizmos that can tell us all about where people have gone and what they have touched."

Castle arched and eye brow. "You touched the ducks."

Beckett normally would not have allowed such a fabricated tangent to continue, but seeing Castle so determined was quite entertaining.

"Y-You found t-them?" Desmond stammered in disbelief. "How did you find them?"

"Beckett tilted her head in amused astonishment.

**40. Tales**

"So, Castle says 'You didn't hide them very well, Philip'," Beckett explained to Ryan and Espositio. "And he just started confessing. His nephew, of all people found him strangling the ducks. In shock and humiliation, he turned on the nephew."

"Did he say whether it was a duck fetish, a childhood trauma, or a random act of violence," Ryan asked.

"You won't believe this," Castle interjected. "But the guy's physically abusive dad had a speech issue which made his voice sound like Donald Duck. And no, he didn't kill his father, but these aren't the first ducks he's done in."


	12. Chapter 12

**Challenge Set Nine:**

**Author Note: This set is an AU with Hurt/Comfort all over it. Beware the sadness and grief. I hope, however, that you will not be deterred. I'm quite proud of this set.**

**Murder**

"Things are beginning to settle down here at the 12th Precinct where four officers lost their lives earlier today. Though the shootout was over shortly after it began, the alleged assailant took officers by surprise killed four before he was taken down by fellow officers. We now have confirmation of the four officers who made the ultimate sacrifice. Detective Kevin Ryan, Captain Roy Montgomery, Officer Dennis Taggart, and Detective Tom Demming."

Alexis Castle sits in shock, with her grandmother, worrying about her father and how he will react. He had dashed, wordlessly, from the loft as soon as he heard.

**Mystery**

Kate Beckett's eyes were red with recent tears and her knuckles bled from the fierce pounding she gave the brick wall in the alley outside the precinct. Now she sat, alone on the front steps, not allowing a single soul talk to her, to try and comfort her. Where was Castle? Had she even called him? She better call him. Why wasn't he here? Thank God he wasn't. She reached for the phone, but her shaking, damaged hands couldn't scroll to his name. She threw the device to ground where it splintered into pieces. Where was Castle? She needed him.

**Writer**

There had been no call. Beckett had not called. She had not…But she wasn't. She couldn't be. It would be too cruel to lose them all at once. He had no flashing lights, no siren to part the traffic like Moses parted the waters, no privilege his fame and fortune could wield, and no idea if she was alive or dead.

He wondered what she was doing. How would she react to her friends dead? It was bad enough that a hole was growing wider in _his_ heart with each passing second. But his grief could wait. Beckett's could not.

**Retired**

It was the kind of thing the ended even the youngest of careers; the kind of event which haunted witnesses long after it's dust had settled; the kind of horror which made Javier Esposito wonder why he wasn't able to save Kevin's life. The image of his partner jerking forward against the front desk before dropping to the floor of the main lobby played over and over in his mind. An impossibly loud crack shook the inside of his skull each time it played. From that moment, the film in his head sped up. More cracks and more bodies even before he could draw his weapon. By time his weapon was out, the gunman was around the desk and it was out of his hands.

**Teacher**

The bodies were zipped and already downstairs when Castle arrived. Before opening the door to the morgue, he saw Beckett and Esposito talking with Lanie. There was no one else in the room. He had heard what happened in his desperate search to find Beckett, and knew well that no one else would enter that room until she was ready.

"Kate," he said, breathlessly.

When she saw him, she ran to him. No guard. No tough exterior. No brave words. She grabbed hold of him and held him tightly. She mumbled something unintelligible into his lapel and shook against him.


	13. Chapter 13

_Author note: I'm sorry it's been so long since my last post, but I went through a Castle dry patch. The Muse was not cooperating. But, alas, it has returned and here is a new set of drabbles. I hope you enjoy. _

**Challenge Set Ten** (July 19, 2010)

**46. Captain**

When Beckett called to advise that she had Castle in custody, Captain Roy Montgomery blew out a long, cathartic whistle. The balloon had finally gone up and, of all things, the writer was discovered standing over a dead body with a gun. There had to be an explanation. Castle had better have a good one.

He wondered how Beckett reacted to seeing the writer again. What did Ryan and Esposito say to him? He imagined the standard passive aggressive bullspit that was so common among families when their feelings were hurt. Beckett, on the other hand, would deny it all.

**47. Pilot**

"Did you know I could fly?" Castle asked suddenly. "I could take you up sometime."

"Do you have a cape and brightly colored costume as well?" she replied, facetiously.

"Nothing so mundane," he retorted. "I have wings."

"No kidding," she said, finally turning to engage his fantasy fully. "How do you hide them when you walk among us mortals?"

"I never implied I was god, but it's ok if you think so," he said through a mischievous smile.

"Please," she drawled with a practiced roll of the eyes.

"The offer stands, Detective. It's a bird's eye view of the city."

**48. Mechanic**

"What is the first thing that comes to mind when I say mechanic?" Beckett asked.

"Hit man," Castle replied quickly. "Assassin!"

"Really?" Beckett pressed in disbelief. "Hit man is the first thing that came to mind?"

"Remember who you're talking to, Kate," he said, thinking the question had been rhetorical.

"Castle, focus," she chided. "We're working a case where the brother of the suspect works in an auto body shop. Thus my question about the mechanic."

"So why mention the grease monkey?" said Castle with his thumb and forefinger rubbing his chin. "Do you think the brother is the killer?"

**49. Mercenary**

"How much attention do you pay to your fans, Castle?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean how much consideration do you give to what fans have to say about your work?"

"I try to be too affected one way or another. Of course, I'm thankful for them, but it can be a slippery slope."

"How do you mean?"

"Well, if I become too comfortable with praise, I might get lazy sloppy. If I get sucked into negative criticism, I could become paralyzed with fear."

"They do pay your bills. You feel no obligation?"

"What can I do for you, Kate?"

**50. Serenity**

Halloween had come and gone and Rick Castle had not dressed up, attended a party, or gone trick or treating with Alexis. It was kind of depressing that his only daughter had chosen to go to a party with her new boyfriend rather than haunt the city streets with her extra cool dad. But such is life. Maybe his mother would want to go. Deciding he would not be denied, he pulled his cell phone and dialed her number.

"Mother, we're going trick or treating," he declared once she came on the line.

"Where and when, Darling," she replied, conspiratorially.

_Thank you for reading. _

_Reviews are welcomed. _


	14. Chapter 14

**Castle Drabbles for Christmas **

**Introduction **

It was the flurries which drew him outside; the wind tossed pixies of frozen moisture which zigged and zagged foreshadowing full blown snow. Rick Castle stood on the exterior balcony of his loft looking to the sky as heavier flakes began overwhelming their predecessors.

The child in him charged the surface inspiring him, almost involuntarily, to open his mouth and stick out his tongue. To hear Beckett tell it, the child didn't have far to go to get to the surface; in fact she maintained that the child lived at the surface and the mature man was the one who had to the long journey to make himself known.

**Love- **

Castle and Beckett lean against a counter in a downtown coffee shop sipping gingerly from their cups. They are watching the Thanksgiving Day Parade. They huddle close as the spot they share is right next to the door. Every time the door opens, they are assaulted by a chilling burst of arctic wind. Castle shifts his stance, positioning his broad back to the door. It would not do to have his wife any colder than she is at the moment.

She leans into him and places a small kiss on his lips. "How chivalrous."

He smiled mischievously. "My way of taking one for the team."

"I love you, Richard Castle," she said, touching he forehead to his.

"Saying 'I love you, too' just doesn't seem sufficient," he replied. "I could write a book?"

**Light-  
**

When Castle and Beckett returned home to the loft, they were met with a strange sight; festive, but strange. Both Martha and Alexis were dressed in Santa costumes specifically designed for the Rockettes. Castle had seen his daughter in a miniskirt before, but there was something oddly salacious about the outfit.

"What is this?" he asked, truly surprised.

"Seriously, Dad?" Alexis admonished. "Don't tell me you forgot?"

"Of course he didn't," Kate interjected elbowing Rick to jog his faulty memory.

"Of course not!" he proclaimed, uncertainly. "What am I supposed to do?"

Alexis rolled her eyes. "Nothing , Dad. Just come to the performance. Gram convinced me to help her with a Christmas Charity event."

"I'm all in," he replied with a smile. "Not sure how I feel about that outfit though. It's a little low in the front and high in the back. Is Ashley gonna be there?

Kate hit him with another elbow. "You look great, Sweety. When do we leave?"

**Dark-  
**

On the night before Christmas, Castle was awakened by the sound of movement on the first floor. His first thought was of Kate, who, coincidentally, was not lying next to him in bed. Furrowing his eyebrows in puzzled concern, he threw off the covers and hopped from his bed.

Just in case, he pulled an iron from his golf bag in the hall closet. When he reached the top of the stairs he surveyed the landscape below. There she was, his wife, kneeling before the Christmas tree feeling, shaking, and placing gifts up to her ears.

It was adorable.

But it could not be allowed to continue.

"Unhand that present, FIEND!" he boomed from behind her. He had silently descended the stairs and approached her without her noticing. So he thought.

The flannel clad woman shot a leg out behind her and whirled with uncanny speed to push her palms into his chest. He toppled involuntarily and landed with a dull thud on the couch.

She was on him in a flash; straddling his waist.

"You, Mister, of all people, should know better than to sneak up on me," she said short of breath.

"And miss this?" he replied, placing his hand on her hips. "It was my plan all along."

"We used to open a present on Christmas Eve," she said, raising her fingers to the top button of her pajama top.

"Who am I to break with tradition," he said, pulling her into a kiss.

**Past- **

As he sat back and watched Kate, Alexis, and his mother open their Christmas presents, Castle tried to remember a Christmas more satisfying. There were grand moments in the past, but nothing so fully realized as a family so perfectly united.

It was Kate's second Christmas with the family; the first as wife. His final wife. The woman he had been searching for all his life. Being with her was the gift that kept on giving; the element added to their family was never really missed until it finally arrived.

Alexis laughed at Kate as she placed a pair of garish antlers on her head.

Mother smiled and took sip of her hot butter rum.

Kate looked to him for approval.

"Perfect," he said, meeting her brilliant blue eyes.


	15. Chapter 15

**Author note: Thank you all for taking the time to read and review. I appreciate the support. This series is more of a grab bag than a continuation of the previous Christmas themed set, but never fear, Christmas will return!**

**Break Away**

Richard Castle wasn't an athletic man, but he had been known to shoot a few hoops. When Esposito began baiting him for a one on one match up, he put the other detective off, not wanting to show him up in public. Esposito's taunting became so rife with arrogance that Castle decided to show his friend what was what.

It had rained the day they decided to play and this was the excuse Castle used when the other man stole the ball and ran the length of the court to lay in the first basket of the game. By the time Esposito had seven and Castle had one, the writer was faking and ankle sprain to get off the court.

"I was hoping for more of a challenge, Castle," Esposito said. "That was sad."

"I said I could shoot, Javi," Castle breathed. "Running is another thing altogether."

**Heaven**

Reciprocation. That was heaven for Rick Castle.

To cook for her and see blissful satisfaction spread on her face as she eats.

To touch her hand, as they walked, and feel her fingers curl around his.

To hug her and feel her head rest on his shoulder as her hands meet as his back.

To start a sentence and have it completed without skipping a beat. Sometimes.

To feel her lips and teeth pressed against his as they kiss passionately.

To feel the give and take of their rhythmic lovemaking; the heat and ecstasy of two people truly giving of themselves for the other.

**Innocence**

Castle wondered who Beckett might have been had not her mother been killed; had not her dreams been stolen and her heart haunted by the ghost of senseless murder.

Would she have been an astronaut? It wasn't hard to imagine Beckett in one of those orange space suits. He smiled at the idea of her floating in zero g. He can see her smiling as he spins.

Would she have been a teacher? On this once he was torn. He knows well what it is to be 'hot for teacher', but he could still see a sternness about her; an instructor who challenges her students and does not let them quit.

Would she have been a veterinarian? No. Though she does have a tender side, he didn't see her working with animals?

A lawyer or doctor, maybe? Possibly. Though Kate's dark side rose with her mother's murder, he still sees her as being a consummate professional. Her work ethic would not have suffered. Perhaps, a doctor. Lawyer seems a stretch.

**Drive**

It was a Sunday afternoon and there were no cases pending which demanded immediate, ongoing attention. Castle sat in his chair next to Beckett's desk and watched her.

She smiled at his attention, but soon grew suspicious as his lips spread in a mischievous grin.

"What?" she asked, truly interested in what might be catching fire in abstract brain.

"Let's go for a drive?" he declared with a smile. "Somewhere upstate."

Her eyebrows cinched in disapproval. "There's nothing but farmland up there Castle."

"When was the last time you saw those luscious rolling hills and the giant marshmallow hay bales?" he countered.

"The better question, Castle, is 'when was the last time I _wanted_ to'?" she retorted.

"How could you not want to get away from the city from time to time; you know, experience wide open spaces?"

"The truth is I'm allergic," she said, shooting him a glare.

"To what?" he answered, skeptically. "Fresh air?"

"Let me bottom line it for you, Castle, if we're going anywhere, it's further into the city."

"Ready?" he said, standing and pulling on his coat.

Beckett stared.

**Breathe**

When they had finished, Kate lay, with her head on his chest, breathing heavily. They didn't talk. No words were necessary. He stroked her hair as her index finger drew circles on his thigh.

"It really is a beautiful tree," Kate whispered.

"I agree," he replied in a low tone. "You picked a good one."

"Right," she said with hint of admonition. "It was a team effort. Alexis helped."

"She deferred to you and you know it," Rick added. "All part of her generous Christmas spirit."

"What does Christmas meanto you, Rick?" she asked, still taking in the tree and myriad presents below.

"Family, gift giving, love, and Santa."

"Is that it?" she said shifting on his chest to meet his eyes.

His hands were folded behind his head. "Does there need to be anything more?"

"I think so," she said.

"Are you talking about baby Jesus and the manger?" he asked in genuine curiosity.

"Maybe, but not entirely," she replied. "Christmas is about renewal.; wanting to be the best person I can not only for myself but for everyone I know. And don't know for that matter."

"I know what you mean," he said. "There has always been a sense of newness around Christmas, but I guess I associated it with the New Year rather than anything spiritual."

"Yeah," she said. "I think you nailed it: love, family, and giving."


	16. Chapter 16

**Author Note: Another Set for you. I hopw I didn't offend anyone last set. The review turn out was low. I was concerned. But here is another set and another opportunity to please the masses. Please enjoy!**

**Tree **

It was the fourth year in which Rick had gone outside the city to get his Christmas tree, but the first in which Kate had come with him. Duncan's Tree Farm was a large and rather confusing maze of trees of all shapes, sizes, and varieties.

Kate would have preferred to grab a small tree from a corner lot not far from her apartment, but Rick wouldn't allow it. Using his arms in grandiose gestures, he extolled the virtues of the Grand Fir, its rich Christmas smell, and fun of cutting your own tree. She had to admit that the experience was fun, if only to watch Castle lying on the ground, huffing and puffing, as he cut the tree with a rusty hand saw.

**Memory-**

He didn't care if it was the longest running , most joked about production in the history of Broadway, Richard Castle liked _CATS!_ It was mostly for the faster numbers, but the detail of the set design and the fantastic dancing always left him satisfied in the end.

Then there was Beckett. She ran with the 'in crowd' and took every opportunity to tease him when the topic arose. To his consternation, she would sing verses from his least favorite song of the show, 'Memories'.

"_Memories all alone in the moonlight...like Castle at an outdoor production, _she would jab. He took it stride knowing that his revenge would be sweet as soon as she revealed a similar guilty pleasure.

**Insanity- **

"They say that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results."

"Not 'them' again, Castle," Kate replied, wearily. "'They' get you into trouble."

"It's an age old proverb, Beckett," Castle replied congenially. "Does it bother you?"

"Only a few things bother me, Castle," She said raising a mischievous eyebrow. "And _you _are on that very short list."

"The word 'bother' has many meanings. Do I bother you in a good way?"

"I abstain."

"Abstaining to such a question is tantamount to an admission!"

"It does not," she grimaced. "No way, shape, or form."

"So are you hot and bothered?" he advanced.

"Castle," she said, suddenly serious. "Thin ice."

"How thin?"

"Cracked."

"I must really be insane," he declared.

**Smile- **

"Boys are jerks!" Alexis exclaimed as she plopped down on the couch next to her father. "Boy, Specifically."

"What's he done this time, Sweetheart," Castle said, turning to his daughter to give her his full attention. "And what makes this about 'boys' generally, rather than 'Ashley' specific?"

"Did I say anything about Ashley?" she retorted.

"No, but I knew it couldn't have anything to do with me? I'm an angel."

"Sure thing, Dad," she replied. "You're right, though. It's Ashley."

"What is it?" Castle asked with keen interest.

"He cheated!" she stated matter of fact, color rising in her face.

Caught off guard by the declaration of the worst possible sin in any relationship, Castle gaped in shock.

"He what?"

"I don't think I'll be playing Twister with him again any time soon," she said folding her arms over her chest and frowning.

Castle continued to gape, the fact that the cheating was only at a game relieving him only a little. The knowledge that his only daughter was playing Twister with her boyfriend almost made his heart stop.

**Silence- **

Richard Castle smiled in satisfaction as he leaned back in the chair behind his desk at the _Old Haunt_. He reveled in the old world wood paneling, the secret passage ways, and the history presented in the framed photos on the walls. This office was a special place.

It wasn't like he didn't have his own space at the loft, but the atmosphere at the _Haunt_ could open up a whole new subgenre of fiction for him. Maybe it was time to do a gangster novel. Or even a Cheers-style murder mystery set in bar. He wondered what Beckett would think of being his gun toting moll.

Breathing the new oil on the leather chair in which he sat, Castle envisioned Beckett hanging from the side of a car firing her Tommy Gun into rival gangsters on the street.

**Thoughts? **


	17. Chapter 17

**Author note: Now, for something completely different. This week, I decided to shake things up a bit by bending time, space, and genre. I use this same technique in a single drabble earlier in the thread, but this time I took to the next level. I hope you will enjoy this week's offering of war, westerns, vamprires, pride, and prejudice.**

**Questioning**

Richard Castle stood underneath the narrow awning outside the Allied Command Center to avoid the rain. The invasion of France had been delayed, now, for two days. If they didn't go soon, their window of opportunity would be lost; as would the story for the Army newspaper, _Stars and Stripes_.

The door next to him opened so quickly, it smacked him in the arm. Kate Beckett, his contact on the inside, looked around not noticing that she had just hit him with the door.

"Right here," he said, throwing a wave around the door frame.

Beckett regarded him skeptically. "What are you doing back there?"

"Waiting for you," he answered amiably. "Seems my lot in life these days. What's new?"

"Not much I'm afraid," Beckett said, wearily. "There's a lot of hand wringing going on in there. Given the weather, no one is willing to make a final decision."

"How's Ike?" Castle asked, tipping up the brim of his cap.

Beckett smiled sympathetically. "Conflicted."

"Really? 'Conflicted' is all you have? I need more than that!"

"It's all I've got, Castle," she said frowning. "I'm not actually sitting in on the meeting. It's officers only."

"I know. I know. I can only imagine all the factors which have to be considered. But, I'm about as frustrated as the boys sitting on those ships."

"I have a feeling it will be soon," Beckett said, holding his eyes. "The Brass can't afford to wait."

"I trust that feeling, Kate," Castle replied. "But I can't print it."

"Then you'll have to do what you do best."

"Which is?" he replied, perking at a possible compliment.

"Wait."

**Blood**

Rick Castle truly resented that fact that he had been turned into a vampire. It sucked. And the pun was so totally intended. He had always enjoyed the nightlife, but it really put a crimp in his ability to work cases with Beckett and the boys.

He was lucky that first crime scene after his own 'death' was at night. He was raw in his new sensations… and his new urges. He was invigorated and all five senses sang with amplified intensity. These new feelings would definitely assist in his writing, but the detractions were much more pressing.

Beckett leaned over the body of dead woman; stabbed multiple times by a rather large knife which remained imbedded in the woman's ribcage. As she examined the wounds, her head turned spotlighting, from the street lamp above, the muscle and porcelain white skin of her neck.

Squatting to her level, he involuntarily licked his lips and leaned toward her.

"What is it?" he asked.

She looked at him and immediately pulled away, almost falling over backwards.

"Castle," she said, concern evident in her voice. "You look like death.

His gaze was still locked on her neck and his heart was thumping in time with hers.

When he finally looked up, Beckett was staring at him. "Yeah, I'm not feeling so hot. Probably shouldn't be here."

"Gone home, Castle," she said, slapping him on the shoulder. "Get some rest. We can handle this one. Let me now when you're feeling better."

"It may be while," he said sadly.

**Under**

His eyes traced what seemed the interminably long barrel of the rifle pointed at his chest. At the other end, he found angry eyes squinted to be sure of the accuracy of her shot.

It was a hot day in _Stormfront_; the kind of day where a man could be soaked with sweat by walking across the street. The fact that his former friend and partner was pointing a gun at him only compounded the effect.

"I thought I told you never to come back," Kate Beckett declared. "I didn't leave room for an alternate interpretation."

"Normally, I'd take the advice of the local Sheriff," he said evenly. "But this time I thought she was wrong."

Her eyes never left the sight. "Is that a fact?"

"Indeed it is," he replied, tilting his hat forward to block the aggressive sun. "Can we talk about it?"

"Talk, Scribbler," she said, lowering the rifle, but not offering to get him out of the sun.

"I didn't know about Demming," he said. "Or, I mean, that you were done with him."

"So you decided to leave with a whore?" She spat, her eyes still blazing with fury.

He looked at the ground and kicked at the dry dirt. "We had a history. I don't like being alone."

"Do you know how pathetic that sounds? Dammit, Castle!"

Her dark brown hair hung loosely about her face and he could see the sadness there, which had been painted over with rage.

He raised his hands above his head in a gesture of surrender. "I'm here now. She's not. He's not."

She blinked. "I'm tempted to shoot you on principal. Just to make myself feel better."

"I've never known you to shoot first and ask questions later, Sheriff," he tried, smiling broadly. "You've always been the consummate investigator."

"Flattery will get you a night in jail, Mr. Castle," she replied, mischievously. "As opposed to a shot in the shoulder."

He started walking toward where she stood on porch of the Sheriff's Office and City Jail.

"That is a sentence I would gladly serve…if only to have you watch over me all night long."

"I still have the rifle, Castle," she retorted. "Get inside."

**Grey**

Mr. Richard Castle was not looking for a wife. But when his friend Ryan Esposito became engaged to young woman named Lanie Beckett, Castle was invited to their announcement party.

It took no time at all for Castle to realize that the family was lowborn and the parents desperate to marry their daughters into a better social status. He despised social climbers. Their greed and desperation never seemed to abate after their initial goal was achieved.

In deference to his friend he endured the luncheon. The only thing which kept Castle from falling on his sword was Lanie's sister Kat . Very rough and startlingly independent, Castle could not keep his eyes off of her. He would have preferred to admire her from afar, but, given his luck so far, he was sure to have to speak with her. He did not relish the interaction. He had seen her engage others and shocked by her forwardness and lack of proper etiquette. He braced himself for the encounter as she approached.

"Hello Mr. Castle," Kate said, adding a slight courtesy. "It is a pleasure to have you with us. Are you enjoying yourself?"

The self possessed man Richard Castle thought he was disappeared as soon as she opened her mouth. He was speechless. He could not think of a single intelligible thing to say. Her bosom, her mouth, her nose, and her eyes overwhelmed him. He stared at her like an oaf. Her perplexed, expectant look brought color to his face. He opened his mouth.

"I am not looking for a wife," he said, suddenly. "And if I were, it most certainly would not be you."

Her mouth gaped, a range of emotions sweeping her face. Before she could settle on indignation, he ran from the room.

**Fortitude**

Kate Beckett, the oldest sister of five, and for all intents and purposes, the female leader of family, had never allowed a man, her father included, to speak to her in such a manner. The hubris of such a man to voice such a ridiculous assumption!

Though Castle had run from the room, he wouldn't get far enough away to escape her wrath. She left the drawing room with a smile and plotted the most likely path her offender had taken. She found him in the front yard leaning against the oak tree. He was panting and flush from his exertion, rather than the humiliation he'd put himself through moments before.

"Ah, Mr. Castle," she began with sickly sweet lilt. "I was wondering where you had run off to."

He could not meet her eyes, but replied: "Running from myself it appears."

She arched an eyebrow in surprise at his honesty. "It appears an accurate description."

He exhaled a huff. "You are a brazen woman, Kate Beckett."

She smiled. "And proud of it. And you are a man of some obvious prejudice."

He stood and straightened himself. "If you're willing, I could use some personal reeducation."

"Are you sure you aren't looking for a wife?"

"To tell you the truth, I'm warming to the possibility."


	18. Chapter 18

**Author note: This week's subject was partly born out the events of the recent episode "Nikki Heat" and a question that popped into my head: What would break Kate Beckett. There are only four themes this week as they are related and the next word on my list was not. Be warned: Angst alert!**

**War**

The first bullet hit him high in the chest, below his right shoulder. The second and third were tight in the center of his chest, while a forth entered his left leg just above the knee. You can forget slow motion. As Beckett watched, Castle danced macabre jig, surprise registering on his face for a split second before his eyes rolled up into head and he dropped like a sack of potatoes.

Beckett fired at the suspects until her gun was empty. She hit one of them, but it wasn't enough to bring him down. She still held her gun in the firing position; her back to the body she knew lay behind her. Finally, she let the gun drop to her leg and turned. Slow motion. She didn't want to see it; see him, bloody and pale. Would he be gurgling and panting? Did he have something to tell her? Was he already dead? Why wasn't she running to him? Why wasn't she trying to save his life? She knew it was pointless. She saw his eyes roll.

When she turned, his body was obscured by Ryan and Esposito trying to breathe and pump like back into him. She walked toward them, no staggered; the gun hanging in her hand like a little girl absently holding her dolly.

His torso was completely covered with blood. Esposito's CPR had blood pooling and draining at Castle's throat. A trickle had escaped his mouth. His eyes were closed and there was a peacefulness about him even as he shook with the pumping Ryan was doing on his chest.

She stared at his face. She knew she should be doing something else, but she couldn't look away. She couldn't move. She wanted him to say something, to crack a joke or give her his trademark smile. She _needed_ him to sit up and tell her it was just an act, a terrible horrible practical joke.

She fell to her knees next to Ryan. He was yelling at Castle with each compression and, between breaths, Esposito was tapping his cheeks, and calling out to him. She saw their mouths moving, but couldn't hear what they were saying.

A flurry of emotion welled inside her. She couldn't name any of it. She just stared at his face and wondered who would bring her coffee tomorrow?

**Tears**

Beckett entered the precinct flanked by Ryan and Esposito. All three had blood spatter on their clothing, Ryan especially. Their eyes were red rimmed; each trying to keep their emotions from spilling over their fragile control.

Beckett was sure she could keep her feelings bottled up; that she could get through the day. But she couldn't even make it to her desk. She sank into a chair in the hallway usually reserved for guests. She put her hands to her face slowly shook her head. He…just…couldn't…be…dead.

It was Ryan's touch at her shoulder breached the levy of her control. She tried to shrink into herself; to become invisible as she began to shake and sob. Esposito sat next to her placing an arm around her shoulder. Ryan stood like sentry daring anyone to stare or linger too long in the hall. Both men had lost a friend, but, in this moment, they protected her instead of indulging their own grief. It was good of them, but, strangely, of little solace. A surge of denial caused her to stand suddenly.

"We have to hospital," she demanded, swiping at tear stained cheeks. "He needs us."

"No…he doesn't," Esposito said softly. "He's gone, Kate."

"He can't be gone, Javier," she whispered as he drew her into a hug. "He can't be."

**Sorrow-**

It had been a week of lonely nights.

A week of avoiding phone calls.

It had been a week of going through the motions.

A week of unchecked murder.

It had been a week without coffee.

It had been a week without innuendo.

It had been a week of staring at book bindings and comparing his author pictures from the oldest to the most recent.

A week without Nikki Heat.

It had been a week of ruminating on the few candid photos of the two of them. Her favorites from time she lived with him after her apartment was destroyed.

A week of regret.

It had been a week wondering why she had never given him a chance.

A week of sorrow.

**Time/ Want **

Three months had passed since Castle's death and Beckett was beginning to form a new routine. While still on leave, she had thought about how she would return to work. How would she operate? Would she go back to the solitary zone before Castle? Did she have a choice? Castle was Castle. His presence was not something that could be replicated or integrated in his absence. He was wholly original. Something else was clear, however: Beckett was not the same. She had left her pre Castle self behind long ago and the person she became because of knowing him was still growing.

Make no mistake, she missed him. She might always miss him. But she had a very real, very present reminder in her life: Alexis.


	19. Chapter 19

**Knockdown Roundup**

**Javier **

Esposito sits in an uncomfortable, stationary chair awaiting the next question. He frowns, knowing what it will be, but not being able to stop it.

"So, how did it make you feel?" the therapist asks with an almost robot cadence and matching drone.

"I think I'm more stressed in this session than I was in the warehouse," Esposito half jokes. "Aren't you supposed to be helpful, Jack. You look and sound like you want to be somewhere else. It's not like this is a party for me either."

"How are you sleeping, Javier?" asked the police psychologist, whose notebook rested on his thigh, right on top of the case file and Esposito's police record.

Folding his arms in defiance, he said: "I cry myself to sleep every night."

"The only way we're going to get through this is if you're honest, Detective?"

Esposito had seen this scene before. Wasn't it almost cliché for cops shows and movies? He couldn't blame the Doc, if he was a doctor. He was the one playing the tough cop. Wait a minute, he was a tough cop, but he didn't have to make it hard on the guy who was just doing his job. Truth be told, it was his job too.

"It sucked, Jack," Esposito said, forcefully. "My partner could have died. I could have died. It sucked."

**Kevin**

He didn't like that she was coming to the hospital. He wasn't ready to see her yet. He wasn't ready to absorb the impact of her hysterics. He had a few hysterics of his own he was trying to work out. He still needed to talk; talk to his partners, not his fiancé.

Jenny knows the life she's chosen; even thinks she understands. She can't. But this will be the test. This will be the cold slap to her face where she will stay or run. Could she handle the fact that his life would be in danger on a daily basis? How many times would she be able to take a visit to the hospital or the knowledge that he had been in a shoot out. He didn't like these thoughts. He didn't like doubting her. He loved her. She loved him. He hoped she loved him enough.

He's not ready to face her. Either way. Damned if an hour later, he's still shivering. His chest hurts. The EMTs said it would for some time. He didn't much care if she saw his weakness. That was love. But he had to work it out before he saw her. He had to know he was alright.

He lay in a hospital bed, gown and all. Javier was there. Castle and Beckett too.

"Did you see this clown," his partner said, pointing at Castle. "Jumped from the ceiling like a damn monkey."

Ryan looked at him with a weak smile. "Don't let her in here, Javi," he whispered. "Not yet."

Esposito's grin straightened. "You got it, Bro," he replied, solemnly.

**Rick**

She was wrapping his hand…personally. He was impressed how she stepped in and, with graceful force, told the EMT to 'help someone else'. He liked it a lot. He liked even more that she was grateful to him for saving her life. 'Thanks' went a long way when it came from Kate Beckett. But what he liked most is that they kissed. BAM! There was no denying it. Though she would. Not that they kissed; that was not in question. The denial would arise when he popped an altogether different question: Did she like it?

He looked, wistfully, into her eyes as she applied the fastener to his firmly wrapped wrist.

"So what do you think?" he asked nonchalantly.

"About what?" she replied easily, clearly not sensing the coming ambush.

He tried to play it off as passing curiosity, but it was impossible to escape the magnitude of the event. Or, at least the magnitude of the quake in his boots as the kiss ended. "About the fact that we kissed."

Kate Beckett blinked. She looked down at his hand which she was still holding. "I hadn't actually given it much thought. So much has happened since then. Getting Kevin and Javier out of there was our primary goal."

"Okay," he agreed eagerly. He knew now was not the time. In fact, there really wasn't ever a right time. Why not now? He had almost spilled the beans at her apartment earlier in the day. She had asked him point blank. But it wasn't the right time. Her mother's case always wreaked havoc on her emotions.

She regarded him curiously. "What do you mean '_okay_'?" she asked, a hint of incredulity accentuating the last word.

He shrugged. "I mean you're right. I was just thinking on my feet. You asked for dumb ideas, right? And I didn't want you to have to shoot that poor henchman."

She smiled at that. "Poor henchman, huh? He probably needed shooting."

"Just like you needed kissing," he said without thinking.

She didn't look surprised. She didn't look angry. She didn't even crinkle her nose like when she was trying to puzzle something out. She just stared at him with a straight face, not willing to break eye contact.

He hadn't meant to say it. It was the kind of retort that stayed in a man's head; the kind that was never to be spoken. He feared her next words. The emotion of the last couple of days had run high.

"Maybe so," she said, a thin smile tugging at the edge of her mouth.

**Kate**

When Kate entered her apartment, she put her purse on a side table and tossed her coat on the kitchen table. She didn't check her messages. She didn't go hunting for food in the fridge. She didn't draw a bath. She entered the kitchen and pulled a wine glass from the cupboard. She pulled the cork on a half full bottle of red wine which had been sitting on the counter and filled her glass.

She went to the couch and removed the requisite pillows to allow herself to lie down. She took sip from the glass placed in on the floor within reach. She looked out the large window which took up the majority of the back wall of her apartment.

She wanted to sleep, but he mind was still racing. From Raglan's initial call to Castle taking down Braddock, she somehow felt on the verge of tears all the time. She _had_ cried. She always did when her mother was involved. She never felt like she needed to hide it either. It was something they all understood about her; something she was ok with them knowing. But everything else was under lock and key. It was ironic that her most person demon was on display and she didn't care. But when it came to the minutiae of her private life, she didn't want interlopers. It was what it was.

She had friends. On the Force friends. Then there was Castle. Not a cop, but definitely a friend.

Her mind leaped from there and the flood gate of her denial was brought down.

Did she really think he would just go home; leave her side in her darkest hour. Did she want him to? She couldn't have. But she remembers the scene as if in a movie.

"_Then why do you keep coming back, Rick?"_

Why would she do that? Why would she push him? Why would she demand an answer right then; when the emotion of her mother's case was crouching visibly on her sleeve. That's why. Her anguish over the loss of her mother was real. It was deep and true. It was whole and intense. It was her driving passion. And Castle has worked his way into her soul. He was honest. He was thoughtful. He was giving and genuine. He was intelligent and successful. He was fiercely loyal. Not like Hooch. Like a man who would do whatever it took to protect some he loved. Someone he loved.

And why didn't he answer? Why didn't he give you what you are so desperate to deny you want? He wanted to protect you. He wanted to show you love and support. Not take advantage of your grief. He has never wanted to take advantage of you. You know that, right?

It was just like her mother to make her face truths she would rather not.

She picked up the glass and took another sip of wine. As the warmth spread within her, she felt a tingle shoot across her lower lip.

He kissed you.

It showed bravery, spontaneity, ingenuity, concern, desire, and passion. Are you surprised? No. The surprise was her response. There is putting on a show, which is what they were supposed to be doing, and there is allowing deeply suppressed feelings to emerge in a fit of immediate gratification.

She smiled in the moonlight.

You kissed him. BAM!

Why are you smiling? Are you proud of yourself? Perhaps she is. It was an incredible catharsis; a flood of what if? What are you scared of? Why aren't you listening to yourself? He's here. You have an excuse. Do it!

She's listening now.

She stands and shuffles over to the table where her coat lies like a work of abstract art and deftly pulls her phone from the right pocket. She scrolls to his name and hits dial.

He answers with the joy which laces his voice in every tone. "I was just thinking about you."

"Me too," she deadpans. "What are you doing right now?"

"The dishes."

"I have a better idea," she said. "There's an authentic Italian bistro near the precinct. Would you like to share a bottle of wine?

She heard plate crash to the floor.

"Everything ok, Castle?" she jibed.

"Jim Dandy," he replied, giddily. "Meet you there in 30?"

"See you then."


	20. Chapter 20

**Author note: It's been a few weeks since this was updated. I didn't do a full five, but c'est la vie. I hope you enjoy and, if you feel the notion, please leave a review and let me know how I did. **

**Night**

As he walked away from his mother and her former, yet very present lover, Lance Buchanan, he fished in his pocket for his phone. Though he had left her less than an hour ago, he felt the need to tell Beckett about the horrific mother make out session he had just stumbled upon.

"What's up Castle?" she said, pleasantly.

"I've just had a waking nightmare," he answered, clearly exasperated. "I walked in on a horror show playing out in my living room. It's still going on!"

"Calm down," Beckett ordered. "What are you talking about?"

"My mother and the smarmy, soapy Mr. Buchanan are on my couch playing doctor," he replied, calmly after a deep breath.

"Really," Beckett said, the eye roll evident in her tone. "It must have been terrible. Were they naked?"

"What?" he answered. "What kind of question is that?

"Never mind, Castle," she sighed. "They're consenting adults. Get over it."

"That's just it, Beckett. The consenting is keeping me hold up in my office."

"It sounds like a great opportunity to do some writing. Exercise those demons, Castle. "

**Expectations**

It was after the drink with Beckett and after he returned home to a Valentine's evening of quiet contemplation. It sounded lame, and maybe it was, but given the events of the week, Castle didn't want spend the evening with a witless sycophant. The sex might be nice, but energy he would have to expend to get there left him exhausted just thinking about.

He was still bummed about Damian. The case had been such a roller coaster of highs and lows, validation and disappointment, perception and reality. Beckett had called Damian a fantasy; someone he had lionized beyond what reality could support. There was truth in the statement, but it was not entirely true. It didn't really matter that Damian turned out to be a murderer. He was, in fact, a pivotal figure in Castle becoming a writer. He would lose that. He couldn't.

**Hold My Hand**

"You told me something once," Castle began suddenly. "That you wanted someone you could lean on; some who could lean on you; some you could share your life with."

"I thought I was going to die, Castle," she almost whispered. "Don't put too much on it."

"I don't think it too far off base to say you might die today," he replied seriously. "I don't want you to go without knowing how I feel. It was bad enough that we almost froze to death without talking about it."

"What do you want me to say?" she said, feeling the familiar denial rising.

"You don't have to say anything, Kate. Just listen. Whether we live or die right here, I want you to know that I love you. It wasn't love at first. I was fascinated by you; infatuated. But, case by case; life changing event after life threatening event, I realized that not only are you the most beautiful woman I've ever met, you are the most complicated woman I've ever cared to puzzle out. I know you don't think you need a protector and I know I'm not the model of that kind of man, but I'm want to be. I want to keep you safe. I want to be the shoulder you can lean on without fear of judgment or criticism. You see, Kate, I will show you, if I get the chance, that love is more than words."

He wanted to reach out to her; to take even just her hand in his, but his restraints wouldn't allow it. He began scoot his char as best he could toward her; each movement tempting fate that he may fall and never reach her.


	21. Chapter 21

_Author note: Hell, again, old friends. It's been some time since I posted to this thread. In fact, I had planned to leave it alone at 20 chapters. In addition to that, I wasn't as inspired by the end of Season 3 as I was by Season 2. That said, this is my first Castle writing of the summer. I hope I'm not too rusty. Enjoy!_

**Revived **

Castle resented the fact that he was not able to ride in the ambulance as Kate was taken to the hospital. She had been declared dead on the scene, but the paramedics were still working to revive her when the doors were closed in his face.

Shooting a desperate look to his family, he backed away, pivoting into a run for his car. If possible, he would beat the beat them to Emergency. Almost before his mad dash had begun, it stopped. He was suddenly and rudely reminded that this was New York City. No one got any where fast.

**Relieved **

When Rick arrived at Emergency, he expect to find the grief hardened faces of Beckett's fellow officers as well as the inscrutable faces of the doctors, nurses, and technicians assigned to her case. What he found was a lot of worried looks.

Esposito leaned against a post near Reception speaking softly into his cell phone. He gave Castle a nod of acknowledgement.

"I'll call as soon as I know more," the detective said. "It's going to be alright. She's _going_ to be alright. I love you."

Esposito flipped his phone shut and regarded the writer with cautious hope. "She's alive."

**Restless **

Castle paced the waiting room long after most of the officers and other concerned parties had left for the night. Esposito and Lanie were still there, though Ryan had taken Jenny home a couple of hours ago.

It was hard to imagine what the two detectives were feeling at the moment. First they had lost their Captain and now they stood to lose their best friend as well. He had lost a friend in Montgomery as well, but it wasn't even close to the same.

And the thought of losing Beckett was not one he was even willing to entertain.

**Repose **

"You look awful," Beckett croaked, as her eyes fluttered open to see Castle slouching in a chair next to her hospital bed.

Yawning, he leaned forward, stroking the five day growth adorning his face. "I'm too much of a gentleman to call you a 'kettle'," he retorted. "And, by the way, even half dead you _are_ a stunner."

She smiled weakly and fidgeted under the covers, before settling again. "You're shameless."

"And you're on some pretty good drugs."

"They are pretty good, aren't they," she agreed. "But I haven't forgotten."

"Forgotten what?" he replied, curiously.

"What you said, Mr. Castle."

**Relentless **

Kate Beckett didn't resent being shot as half as much as the resulting recovery. Being vulnerable and dependent was never her strong suit. She set her mind and gritted her teeth through physical therapy and the requisite down time.

Castle was a constant presence at her side; giving both unfathomable patience as well a place for her live. The laughed, they fought, and they hatched plans for her eventual return.

If she wasn't previously galvanized to find her mother's killer, let alone her owner shooter, she was now a raging bull of determination. No one would stand in her way.


	22. Chapter 22

**Savage **

It was Kate's first case back on the job. A brutal killing; the body being discovered suspended upside down with knives protruding from the arms, legs, torso, and skull. Beckett regarded the corpse intently, looking for any clue or personal statement left behind by the killer.

Squatting, she came level with the dead man's face. She pried open his mouth with and smirked in satisfaction. She retrieved a small roll of paper and motioned Castle to her side before opening it.

In block letters, it read:

SUCH A CUT UP.

"Clever," Castle said, raising an eyebrow. "Apparently, our killer has a very sharp wit."

Beckett allowed her lip to curl in amusement. "Dark, Castle. _Dark_."

He smiled, obviously pleased with himself. "But you wouldn't have any other way."

It was nice to be back.

**Secret **

It was no secret that Captain Victoria Gates ran a tight ship. She had won an efficiency award in her last precinct, which stood proudly on a book case behind her desk. She was by the book; in Beckett's eyes, almost to a fault. Montgomery had always given her the benefit of the doubt; the proverbial rope with which to either be brilliant or hang herself. It generally worked in her favor. Gates, on the other hand, had already expressed her dissatisfaction with Castle working cases, regardless or his clearance rate or celebrity. He, in the Captain's eyes, was nothing more than a bright shining liability.

**Scintillating**

_CASTLE SCALED! _

_Nikki Heat author Richard Castle was attacked, yesterday, by two adoring and amorous fans at a Barnes and Noble book signing. Castle had been signing for no more than ten minutes, two women stripped topless and threw themselves at the author. Though he has recently discouraged this kind public nudity, the writer was said to be smiling as his chair went over backward…_

Detective Kate Beckett folded the newspaper sharply and placed it at the edge of her desk. Her face showed no hint of anger, devilish mirth, or scorn at his misfortune. She simply took a sip of her coffee and opened the case file on her desk and started reading.

"I wasn't expecting a picture," said a sheepish Castle from his chair overlooking the photo of his trademark grin and the bare back of an eager fan.

"Like that makes it better," Beckett said, matter of fact.

"What I meant to say is I'm sorry. I would never-I know it looks bad. Good God does it look bad. Given that we are now us and how this makes-"

"Forget it, Castle," she said turning to him and letting a smile break. "It'll be gone tomorrow, some other scandal in its place. But making you squirm is more fun than ever."

**Sexy**

"I once fantasized about doing it, you know," Beckett said to Castle over a glass of wine on her couch.

"_It_?" Castle inquired, suggestively.

"Flashing you at a book signing."

Castle leaned back against the couch's arm, conjuring the aforementioned image. After a moment, he nodded his head a couple of times and said: "That would have been cool."

Beckett laughed. "You say that like it wouldn't be just as cool if it happened tomorrow.

Castle said nothing but kept his eyes locked on hers. It would do no good to let his hopes rise on such an off hand comment. He reached down to the table and picked up his wine glass and drained it.

"Or tonight," she added, low enough that he almost hadn't heard.

His hopes left Earth's atmosphere. But he made the conscious decision to play it cool. He didn't want to seem eager, though his desires were nothing new to Kate.

"I'm not sure it would be as enticing without the added element of exhibitionism," Rick replied, returning the empty glass to the table.

Kate stood and silently left the living room.

Castle remained, wondering if he had made a fatal miscalculation of her intentions.

She returned in nothing more than a pale blue Brooks Brothers button down. He watched her legs and feet as she moved to the book case and pulled copies of _Stormfall, Heat Wave_, and _Naked Heat._ Placing them on the dinner table and producing a pen, seemingly from thin air, she pulled out a chair and said: "Wanna bet?"

**Sacred**

"Best. Day. Ever," Castle spoke to ceiling and to Kate who snuggled next to him in her bed.

"Ever the child," Kate said, giving him a playful slap on the chest.

"And why not?" he protested. "I just had sex and made love with the most beautiful woman on Earth. I should be shouting it from the rooftops, updating my Facebook page, and tweeting my peeps."

"The author embellishes," Kate jibed.

"Not at all," he declared. "It is a fact that, to me, you are the most beautiful woman on the planet. And, the fact the we have just consummated a years long mating dance of denial, depriving ourselves of what is evidently perfect, I think people should now."

"Nice turn of phrase," Kate said.

"You like that?" he answered. "It's much better than 'Castle Scaled'. Read all about it: 'Mating Dance of Denial Ended!'"

"Enough talk, Mister," Kate ordered, suddenly jumping up and straddling him. "I'd like to see how that imagination works in a more practical sense."

"Yes, Ma'am."


	23. Chapter 23

**Castle Drabbles 23**

**Tenacious **

When Castle finally decided to learn to shoot, he could think of no one better than his partner to teach him. When he approached her, he expected a certain amount of ribbing; a little fun at his expense. He was surprised when her response to his initiative was a curt 'Good' and 'Of course' when it came to her involvement.

Their first time at the range was a qualified disaster. Though Castle wanted to learn, he was uncomfortable holding a gun. Beckett reassured him, explaining that part of firearm training was becoming used the feel of the weapon in his hands. His first shots were wild, accentuated by a similarly wild look in his eyes.

Castle's resolve was bolstered and his blood pressure quickened by Beckett's hand supporting his elbow and her breath in his ear as she gave him continuing instruction. The situation was rife with potential innuendo, but he chose to remain silent as such comment could be used against him in the court of Beckett's opinion.

It took Castle three weeks and twenty hours of training to feel confident, have good control, and start hitting the target with some semblance of accuracy.

**Tired **

It had been a long night and, though the wound had mostly healed, it itched and pulsed and ached. Throwing off the covers, Kate Beckett stepped into a pair of fuzzy slippers her host had provided and pulled on the robe which hung over a chair in the corner of room. Exiting the bedroom, she shuffled down the stairs.

She entered the kitchen and took a survey of the main floor. No Castle in sight or sound. This could mean only one of two things: bathroom or office. Moving the general direction of his office, she noticed the bathroom door was open and it was dark inside. She quickened her pace toward his office door.

She knocked softly to no response. She knocked more loudly to silence. Opening the door, she saw the author face down on his keyboard , breathing steadily. Never one to pass up the opportunity to read fresh Richard Castle, she stealthily padded behind his chair and read over his shoulder.

_Rook had been watching Nikki's apartment for three nights running. The threat of another attempt on her life was high and he'd be damned if he wouldn't be her first line of defense. He took another pull of, now cold, coffee and watched the darkened window. It took no time at all for his eyelids to droop. He yawned repeatedly, stretched, and shook his head vigorously more times than he could remember. Suddenly and involuntarily, his head fell _

Beckett looked and Castle, cheek pressed to his keyboard, and marveled at the power of suggestion.

**Turbulent **

"No one is questioning your dedication, Mr. Castle," said Captain Victoria Gates. "much less your contribution. That is not what this is about. You are a civilian. Plain and simple. You have not been properly trained and, by extension, have no place on the police force. The fact that you have avoided major injury to this point is miraculous."

Castle's face grew dark. "I am not a child, Captain Gates. I'd prefer if you not talk to me like one. Precautions have been implemented to keep me out of the line of fire. They have worked so far. I'm not here looking for trouble."

"And, how has the worked for you, Mr. Castle? It seems to me you've found quite a bit of trouble. "

"It seems to _me_ that we've solved a lot of murders."

Gates didn't answer immediately, but frowned, considering her next words.

"If this were a mere ride along, or something of the sort, I might have a more relaxed position. But this 'shadowing' has gone on for three years. It's time for you to step away."

"I won't go willingly," he said straight faced. "You'll have to take it up with the Mayor."

She stiffened at that; not used to being so directly challenged by a subordinate. But that was the curve ball here. He wasn't a subordinate, technically.

"Then, I guess it's a good thing I've got him on speed dial," the Captain replied with a disingenuous smile. "You're not the only one with friends in high places, Mr. Castle."


End file.
